The Moons InBetween
by Sparkshine
Summary: Sandstorm's haunches wiggled as she leapt at the mouse and missed. Something was off. She didn't feel....right. Why was Firestar acting like that? Did he...not love her anymore? Sorry, bad summary! It's what happens between Warriors and New Prophecy


The Moons In-Between

Disclaimer: The characters ARE NOT, and I repeat, ARE NOT mine. They are the property of "Erin Hunter."

Chapter 1: A Surprise

Firestar's haunches wiggled. The mouse he was stalking was nibbling a nut just a fox-length away. Silently, he crept closer. Suddenly, in a flash of flame-colored fur, he leaped out and dealt a blow to the mouse's neck, leaving it as fresh-kill to bring back to the elders.

He purred as he straightened up with his catch. His ears twitched as he looked around for his hunting partner; his mate, Sandstorm. He scraped some dirt over the mouse and bounded into the undergrowth. Firestar smelled the air. He could smell the ginger warrior not far away, as well as the sumptuous scent of squirrel.

Pushing some bracken leaves aside, he nearly collided with a cat. Too startled to smell the air, his instinct took over, barreling the cat over and batting it with his paws. It yowled.

"Firestar—you lump! It's me!!!" Sandstorm yowled.

Firestar immediately let go, intensely embarrassed. He rolled off his mate and started licking his paw, refusing to meet her warm green gaze. She shook off her pale ginger fur, looking mildly upset.

"You idiot! Who did you think I was, the ghost of Tigerstar?"

"N-no, Sandstorm," Firestar stuttered. "I-I'm sor—" his excuse was cut off from a purr from Sandstorm, who's eyes were glittering with humor. He purred as well, giving his mate a lick between the ears. "Sorry." He muttered in her ear.

She batted him playfully with a sheathed paw, then picked up a squirrel and water vole she had stashed under a bush. Out of the corner of her mouth she mewed "What did you manage to catch? Is anything left of a shrew that maybe you thought was Russetfur?"

He growled teasingly, then picked up his mouse. She eyed it, then pointedly looked at the greater amount of prey she had caught.

"Yes, we all know you're the best hunter in the Clan, Sandstorm." He purred. "Now let's head back to camp!"

Back in the sheltered camp, Firestar looked around for his deputy, Graystripe. He needed him to organize the evening patrol. He didn't expect any invasions; the battle with BloodClan was still fresh in all the Clans' memories. Still, it would be just like Blackstar, ShadowClan's new leader, to attack at the most inconvenient of times. Seeing the long-haired gray warrior emerging from the warriors den, he flicked his ears at him.

Graystripe bounded over, mewing a quick goodbye to Mousefur, who he had been talking with.

"What's going on?" Graystripe mewed.

"I want you to organize some patrols for tonight. Maybe check on the ShadowClan border."

Graystripe nodded. Then, as if he could read Firestar's thoughts, meowed "Yes, Blackstar certainly would want to prove his Clan's strength right now."

Firestar nodded. "We can't be too careful. Maybe tell Cloudtail to Rainpaw to go. Rainpaw hasn't been on many patrols, it would be good experience."

Graystripe nodded again. "Right." He mewed. Then, seeing Sandstorm slipping into Firestar's den, mewed with his yellow eyes flickering mischievously "Looks like you've got other things to do." He raced away, thick tail swishing, with Firestar hissing playfully after him.

Seeing Sorrelpaw staring at their antics, Firestar glanced around, embarrassed, then slipped into his den behind the lichen curtain.

Sandstorm was curled up in his nest, nibbling on a rabbit. Firestar purred as he curled up around her, breathing in her sweet scent. She rested her pale ginger head against his shoulder, and he licked her forehead lovingly. He couldn't help feeling a pang, remembering how he had once loved ThunderClan's young medicine cat, Spottedleaf. But he loved Sandstorm more than anything, and he wouldn't have traded her for the world.

SANDSTORM POV

The next morning, Sandstorm woke to the chirping of a finch. She raised her head, blinking her eyes sleepily. She glanced around. Firestar was gone, though she could have guessed that by his barely stale scent and the way her heart didn't feel as warm as it did when he was there. She shook the sleep out of her eyes and stood up, shaking the moss out of her pale pelt. She pushed through the lichen curtain and out into the camp.

Longtail, Thornclaw, and Ashfur were gathered around the fresh-kill pile. They obviously had just returned from their dawn patrol. She trotted toward them.

"Where's Firestar?" she mewed.

It was Thornclaw who replied. "He went out to help assess the apprentices."

Sandstorm nodded. She couldn't help the pang she felt in her stomach. He was so busy these days as leader. She had felt this way earlier in the season, but then he obviously had a reason: he was worried about Tigerstar, and the threat he posed to ThunderClan. But now, with all the Clans peaceful, he wasn't spending more time with her.

She sighed. She decided to hunt to take her mind off things.

After missing a sleeping mouse, Sandstorm knew there must be something wrong with her. She was a great hunter! She could catch fish if she wanted to, but not sleeping rodents? All of a sudden she felt a pang in her belly. She moaned as she rolled onto her side, the pangs continuing. She gave a yowl as her belly twisted.

Firestar came rushing out of the bracken, his green eyes wide with alarm.

"Sandstorm?" he muttered urgently. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. She gave another yowl, her eyes starting to water with pain.

Firestar was motionless with shock. Sandstorm couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Cloudtail came rushing over, his white pelt making him easily visible.

"What's all the yowling about?" he said, irritated.

"Cloudtail, finish with the apprentices. I'm bringing Sandstorm to Cinderpelt.

Cloudtail shot a worried look at Sandstorm before nodding and setting back off toward the training hollow.

Firestar gently gripped Sandstorm's scruff. "It's ok, my love." He murmured in her ear. "I'm bringing you to Cinderpelt. You'll be fine."

Even as another pang shot through her belly, she somehow knew that he was right.

FIRESTAR POV

Firestar dragged his mate through the dead leaves. He couldn't think clearly; he was so worried about Sandstorm. What was going on? What was she doing out in the forest? What was wrong with her?

His brain felt clouded until he heard Sandstorm's strained mew. "Firestar, you're heading toward Sunningrocks."

He almost let go of her scruff in shock. He had been bringing her in the opposite direction of camp! With new determination he gripped her tighter and started running as fast as he could back toward camp. He wouldn't rest until he knew what was wrong with her.

After what seemed like a moon, they reached camp. Dustpelt, Brackenfur, Bramblepaw, and Frostfur stared as he gently dragged the pale ginger warrior into Cinderpelt's clearing. The dark gray she-cat poked her head out. "Firestar?"

Firestar gently set his mate down in one of the mossy nests that lined Cinderpelt's den. He met her blue eyes.

"I think there's something wrong with Sandstorm." He said breathlessly. Cinderpelt's eyes narrowed. Firestar knew the medicine cat could tell that he was really worried.

Cinderpelt nodded.

"Firestar, go to you den and rest. You must be tired. I'll examine Sandstorm." Her eyes narrows more.

"But—" Firestar started to say, then backed away at the fierceness in Cinderpelt's blue eyes. With one worried look at Sandstorm, Firestar hurried back to the main clearing. He sat down and picked out a small blackbird from the fresh-kill pile. Graystripe came over.

"Hey, Firestar. What's wrong with Sandstorm? Half the Clan saw you drag her through the camp. She was barely moving!"

Firestar looked at his best friend. "I—I don't know what's wrong with her." He told Graystripe the whole story, how he had found Sandstorm thrashing in the leaves, to how he had brought her to Cinderpelt. Graystripe rested his tailtip on Firestar's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine. She's strong."

Firestar nodded, then sprang up as Cinderpelt came out of her den. Without muttering goodbye to Graystripe, he streaked across the clearing to meet her.

"Well?" he demanded. "What's wrong with her?"

Her eyes glowed. "I think she should tell you for herself. Come with me."

He followed her quickly, his brightly colored tail swishing anxiously behind him. Sandstorm was lying on her side in the moss. Her eyes no longer looked glazed, in fact, they were shining.

Firestar hurried over to her and pressed his nose in her beautiful fur. "Well?" he demanded again.

She looked at him, her eyes glowing like emeralds as she licked his shoulder.

"Oh, Firestar, I'm pregnant!"


End file.
